A promise and a choice
by marquis
Summary: Rukawa makes a promise he immediately regrets
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: Slam Dunk not mine. Never will be mine. Never has been mine. Very sad thing.  
  
A/N: Okay this was supposed to be an angsty death fic but somehow it turned out. not an angsty death fic, maybe in later chapters I'll make it sadder. Anyway REVIEW!!  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Two tall figures, silhouetted in the red blaze of a setting sun, cuddled up cutely on the empty beach, looking out into the horizon. One was locked in the other's embrace, his head leaning back onto the bigger man's shoulder. It was a charming sight. They seemed to be inhaling the splendor of the world, comforted and totally satisfied by each other's company and simply basking in the warmth of the sunset.  
  
" Kaede."  
  
"Hmm"  
  
"Are you awake?"  
  
"Hmmm"  
  
"You don't look awake."  
  
"Hm."  
  
"You're eyes are closed!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I can see them closed!"  
  
"Hmn."  
  
"Grunting and muttering incoherently doesn't mean you're awake, Kaede!"  
  
".baka."  
  
The taller one grinned from ear-to-ear upon actually getting a response from his stoic companion. "I knew you were awake!" he crowed joyfully.  
  
Rukawa Kaede glared at his friend/pillow, debating whether or not to launch into a full-fledged argument with him or just retreat back to the happy dreamland from whence he came.  
  
"We need to talk about our relationship, Kaede" the man said in a more serious tone.  
  
-Okaaaay.retreating into dreamland. Now.- Kaede thought, automatically shutting his eyes.  
  
"Kaede!!!!! don't go back to sleep! Kaede!!!!" reverting back into the high- pitched wailing, the man-- otherwise known as the Ryonan basketball team's ace Sendoh Akira-- took advantage of his bigger build to trap his Kaede tighter in his muscular arms. "Kaede!!!!" he wailed again.  
  
-Okaaaaay.Retreat into dreamland impossible now that eardrums are not functioning. Dammit, why did I have to fall in love with a whiner?- Rukawa screwed his eyes shut tighter and tried to wrench out of Sendoh's hold.  
  
"Kaede!!!!!!"  
  
-God save my ears.-  
  
"What?" Kaede said sullenly, trying in vain to squeeze out of the rather constricting bind.-Get the hint, idiot. I am a typical male, complete with commitment-phobic genes and inborn panic buttons that unavoidably go off at the words 'talk' and 'relationship'.-  
  
"Well.I want you to make me a promise.it has to do with our relationship." Sendoh said awkwardly, his grasp not yielding one bit. "And I'm not letting you go till you agree to what I have to say." He added in his most stubborn tone.  
  
"Hm." Rukawa said,- He IS stronger than me and he won't let go until he wants to, might as well listen to him- was Rukawa's thought as he tried to prepare himself for an ordeal worse than watching his cheerleaders attempt to dance in rhythm with his dribbling.he had to talk.about relationships.  
  
"Kaede!"  
  
"Gnh?"  
  
"Don't go back to grunting!"  
  
"Fine. Whatever."  
  
"Say yes."  
  
"To what?"  
  
"My promise"  
  
"Which promise?"  
  
"The one you are about to say yes to."  
  
"You are not making sense." Rukawa told his boyfriend, testing the arms around him for a weak spot. None, dammit, the guy was too brawny for his own good.  
  
"I can't tell you what the promise is till you say yes." Akira explained to him simply, throwing him a charming smile for good measure.  
  
"That's dumb. What the hell has this got to do with our relationship?" Kaede mentally counted the words. -13 words, okay that was a mouthful.Hmm, that stupid idiot has infected me with his chattiness.  
  
"I'll explain that after you say yes."  
  
"I know it's strange but please.pretty please with basketballs on top?"  
  
"C'mon Kaede, do it for me?"  
  
-Okay Akira's face is taking on that I'm-desperate-and-going-to-get-dirty look. Prepare yourself for 'the ultimate guilt card' in 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1... Huston we have lift off-  
  
"Kaede.I guess you don't love me anymore." Akira said suddenly in a defeated voice. He released his iron-like hold on Kaede. " I mean I thought we had something special but I guess since you won't even agree to do this teensy weensy little favor for me, you never really cared about me? Did you?"  
  
-Dammit he's going to far this time- Kaede thought fiercely, trying to cross his arms in front of his chest and avoid his boyfriend's gaze.  
  
" I mean you would think that after all that we've been through you would be more trusting. huh Kaede?" Akira's tone went sly and Kaede mentally prepared himself for anything.  
  
Akira continued to rant "Remember Mitsui's party? Fujima had this huge crush on you and he got you drunk and when I found you, you were with him half naked in the bushes behind the house and he was drooling all over you!! Literally! He was suffering from severe blood loss because of his nosebleeds already! But I didn't question you when you said you had a pissing contest and he accidentally tore your shirt off, do you know why? Because I TRUST you---"  
  
---after 25 very long and painful minutes---  
  
"Stop.please stop." Kaede muttered into the sand, where he had buried his face in an effort to drown out Akira's voice.  
  
Akira smirked at his tortured boyfriend. "C'mon Kaede." He wheedled "What harm could it do? It's just one tiny promise."  
  
Kaede raised his head out from the sand and gazed into his boyfriend's big blue eyes. "I.I.' he stammered.  
  
"Alright.you what?" Akira said expectantly, knowing that he had his boyfriend. Hook line and sinker.  
  
"I..I.prom---" Kaede looked as if he had a porcupine stuck in his throat.  
  
"You can do it Kaede, just two words, that's all I'm asking" Akira was already doing a victory dance in his head. "Or do you want another recap of all the reasons why you should trust me?"  
  
"I promise!!!" Kaede said with feeling.  
  
"Wahoo!" Akira screamed, tackling Kaede onto the sand and hugging him mercilessly and laughing, but there was an odd gleam in Akira's eye that made Kaede plenty worried.  
  
"Now will you tell me what I just promised?" Kaede asked his ecstatic boyfriend.  
  
"You promised to choose." Akira said in a strange voice. An emotional voice.  
  
"Choose what?"  
  
"You, Kaede Rukawa, just promised me, Sendoh Akira, that you would choose between love and basketball." Akira pronounced this with a thin smile on his lips.  
  
"Excuse me." Kaede's tone dropped to an icy whisper. "Are you joking?"  
  
-Basketball and love? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He couldn't be saying that.he had to choose? Between Akira and basketball? No Akira couldn't be that cruel.he wouldn't make me choose, he knows how much I love basketball. Right?-  
  
"No. In fact I'm dead serious." And as if to prove his point, Akira's normally carefree face lost it's smile and he looked at Kaede intensely gripping his slender hand. "I don't like being second place in your heart and I'm tired of having to compete with an orange ball for your attention."  
  
"It's basketball or me, Kaede."  
  
---------  
  
A/N :Well whaddya think? 


	2. chapter 2

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk not mine

A/N: I was sleepy whe I wrote this so excuse the mistakes and stuff

Chapter2 

-Choose…choose…chsooe…esooch…scoohe…ooches…choosendoh…choosebasketball…I am going crazy…-

It was a bright Monday afternoon, the birds were singing the sun was shining and Rukawa Kaede did indeed look slightly demented, running his slender hands through his hair until it was even more mussed than usual, murmuring to himself inaudibly, glaring at the sky as if cursing the day itself and pacing frantically around his favorite rooftop in Shohoku high school. 

Pacing not sleeping, Walking around, not lying down deep in slumber land…this phenomenon was enough to alert some of his more observant acquaintances to the fact that something big was up. Something very big. 

"Okay Rukawa what's up? You look stressed." asked the Shohoku basketball team manger, Ayako, while lounging about in the sparse shade of the rooftop. She always prided herself on knowing the business of all her team players, especially her ace player, whether they liked it or not.

"Ya, Rukawa you're PACING. Hell should be freezing over right about now." a certain muffin haired captain, a.k.a. Ryota Miyagi intoned, trying to discreetly watch his Ayako and interrogate Rukawa at the same time.

"Nothing." Rukawa muttered, still walking in circles. "Absolutely nothing."

Ayako and Miyagi traded knowing looks. Clearly whatever this thing was it was a private problem that Rukawa did not wish to discuss, which meant they had to be delicate during this inquisition. They have to kind of ease the questions along and read in between the lines. However few those lines would be.  

"It's either something about basketball or something about Sendoh." Ayako summarized, studying her ace intently.

Rukawa stopped pacing abruptly and halted in front of Ayako, peering at her with keen eyes from under his bangs. "Why would you say that?" he asked her nonchalantly. 

"Well nothing but basketball or Sendoh could make you this agitated." Ayako stated matter-of-factly, still watching Rukawa carefully.

It's true. Miyagi thought, smiling at his smart Aya-chan, the only two things Rukawa is passionate about in this world are basketball and Sendoh. It's always been like that, ever since he met Sendoh during the practice game in his freshman year.

Rukawa was careful to remain expressionless as he looked at Ayako, debating whether or not to tell her about his little problem. She seemed competent enough but could she really understand what he was going through? No. She never had to make a choice like this. Miyagi would always be there for her no matter what.  Telling her now would just distract her from managing the basketball team plus she would probably come up with some half-baked scheme to make everything right again. No thank you. Rukawa Kaede can handle this all by himself. 

"We don't have practice today right?" Rukawa asked Ayako in a clipped tone, ignoring her previous statement.

"No. Why?" she answered him, already frustrated with his hushed attitude.

"I'm going home." Rukawa announced, stalking past a startled Miyagi and out the rooftop door.

"Hey!" Ayako said, trying to grab his arm. "It's only lunchtime we can't go home now! Rukawa!"

Rukawa ignored her as he rushed out the door and down the stairs.    

"He is one lovesick boy." Miyagi sighed at Rukawa's rapidly retreating figure.

"Look who's talking." Ayako smirked. "Besides what makes you think it's love? He could just be worrying about the game with Kainan next week."

" I know that look on his face. I've been wearing that look on his face for the last two years. He's unsure." Miyagi said confidently. He stood up and sauntered over to his girlfriend (yes you heard right his GIRLFRIEND) and draped a possessive arm around her slender waist. "He's struggling with himself and it's definitely about love. Trust me." 

"Whatever. I don't pretend to be the love expert but if what you say really is true then I need to talk to Sendoh." Ayako decided, her tone growing serious and businesslike but she looked perfectly relaxed and comfortable in Miyagi's arms "I'll get to the bottom of this."

"Maybe you should let Rukawa handle it." Miyagi suggested softly, arranging himself so that he was cuddling her from behind with his chin propped on her shoulder.

"He can't handle this! You know how he is with emotions! He'll probably go straight to the basketball court and play until he's to tired to think or feel." Ayako exclaimed, turning in her boyfriend's arms till they were face-to-face.

"C'mon Ayako! You can't run his life for him! You'll get frostbite." Miyagi teased.

"Shut up!" 

"C'mon Aya-chan! Rukawa's a big boy he can take care of himself." Miyagi said confidently.

"I hope you're right." Ayako muttered, still unsure about the whole thing but willing to back off for Miyagi's sake. 

@@@@@@@

In a secluded basketball court not so far from Shohoku the object of much discussion was fulfilling Ayako's prophecy. Three pointers, layups, free throws, slam dunks, Rukawa practiced them all until he was soaked with sweat. But one could easily tell how distracted he was; his movements were mechanical, more reflex than anything else. His mind was clearly on other things. More specifically, Akira Sendoh.

Panting heavily Rukawa jogged to the three-pointer line and started shooting. 

_If I give up basketball what will I do? My passion will be gone. My dreams will be gone. I won't go to America, all the years I've spent training myself to become the best will be for jackshit. _

_But if I give up Akira how will I live? He taught me how to love and how to be loved, how to crack a smile, how to do that special Michael Jordan dunk shot I admired. Dammit what will I do?_

_Damn the world. Danm basketball. Damn Akira for making me choose. Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn—_

"Rukawa, what are you doing here?"

_Damn._

Rukawa turned around very carefully mid-three pointer and prayed to all heavens that it was not who he thought it was.

 Oh God it is him. Fujima. Kenji Fujima.

"What are you doing here?" Rukawa muttered icily, or as icily as he could pouring out sweat and heaving gusts of air from the rigorous exercise he just put himself through. 

Kenji Fujima tried to smile at his former crush but succeeded only in giving a predatory grin to the perspiring ice god in front of him. " My college is celebrating a holiday so I had the day off and I wanted to visit my parents here." He said, walking closer to Rukawa. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I took the afternoon off." Rukawa replied backing away a little. He didn't want the green-eyed devil too close to him. 

Fujima smiled a little to himself, noting his the boy's sudden retreat. Rukawa Kaede is even more delicious looking than before. Especially covered in sweat like that! Yummy.

"Fujima." Rukawa snapped, not liking the way Fujima looked at him. "If you don't mind I want to practice now."

"Sure." Fujima replied easily. "I won't bother you Kaede." He gave that I-want-to-have-you-for-breakfast look again and went to sit down in the shade a few feet away from the court. "I'll just sit here and watch you."

_This day cannot get any worse_. Rukawa said to himself, trying to ignore Fujima and just wallow in his more important problems._ Scratch that, this day can get worse but if it does that I am officially going to kill myself. Either with an exploding basketball or with lethal hairspray._

_--to be continued—_

_A/N: Well here we are again, cornered with that age-old question 'to review or not to review'. What shall it be?_


End file.
